NEW Paw-Pup Dog Park Opens in Downtown Phoenix – Newsfeed

[SHOW THEME MUSIC]>>GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS R.J. PRICE. I’M THE CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
FOR DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, INC. WE ARE SO HONORED FOR YOU TO BE
WITH US TODAY ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX TO OPEN
UP PAW-PUP PARK, DOWNTOWN’S FIRST DOG PARK. THAT’S APPLAUSE, YES,
THAT’S APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] AS DOWNTOWN CONTINUES TO EVOLVE
INTO A DYNAMIC LIVE, WORK, PLAY, LEARN NEIGHBORHOOD, IT’S
IMPORTANT THAT WE PROVIDE OUR RESIDENTS WITH ALL THE AMENITIES
THEY DESERVE, INCLUDING A DOG PARK. DTPHX IS POWERED BY A STRONG
SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION. THIS PROJECT IS ANOTHER PRIME
EXAMPLE OF THOSE HALLMARKS. THE LIST OF THANK YOUS TODAY
HAS TO START WITH PET SMART CHARITIES. WITHOUT THEIR GENEROUS GIFT OF
THIS DOG PARK INFRASTRUCTURE, WE WOULDN’T BE HERE TODAY. WE’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR
PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF PHOENIX, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
OFFICES, CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE, INCLUDING ED ZUERCHER. I DON’T SEE ED YET. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, GINGER
SPENCER IS HERE WITH US TODAY. PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT,
INGER ERICKSON, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, FIRE,
POLICE, LAW DEPARTMENT, FINANCE DEPARTMENT — IT TAKES A LOT OF
PEOPLE TO GET THIS GOING — AND THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE,
LED BY JULIE WATTERS, WHO I DON’T SEE YET TODAY. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PHOENIX
COMMUNITY ALLIANCE MEMBERS, HAPPY FOR DOING THE BRANDING OF
PAW-PUP PARK, AS WELL AS THOMAS PRINTWORKS, WHO DID THE AWESOME
WRAP ON THE STORAGE CONTAINER. I’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR
DOWNTOWN PHOENIX PARTNERSHIP TEAM, ESPECIALLY STREETSCAPE
MANAGER MARK HUFLETZ — TALL MARK,
YOU’LL SEE TALL MARK AND HIS CLEAN AND GREEN TEAM. THEY’RE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR
MAKING THIS PARK LOOK AS GOOD AS IT DOES TODAY. I’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK DOWNTOWN
PHOENIX AMBASSADORS, MANY OF THE FOLKS IN THE ORANGE WHO ARE HERE
TODAY, WHO HELPED SPREAD THE WORD. THIS ALL CAME TOGETHER IN ABOUT
A WEEK, SO IT’S AMAZING TO SEE AS MANY PEOPLE HERE, AND AS MANY
PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT THE PARK AS THERE ARE. WE HAVE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS THAT
I’D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM FOR THE PROGRAM, BEGINNING WITH
ONE OF THE BIGGEST DOG LOVERS I KNOW, OUR MAYOR,
THELDA WILLIAMS.>>THANK YOU, R.J. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
FOR COMING. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS
AS A POSSIBILITY FOR A VERY LONG TIME. YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW THAT EVERY
TIME WE’VE SAID WE’RE GOING TO PUT UP A NEW CONDOMINIUM OR
APARTMENT, I’VE SAID, “WHERE’S THE DOG PARK?”
SOME OF THE DEVELOPERS HAVE BEEN GENEROUS, BUT IT DIDN’T REALLY
MEET OUR NEEDS. I REALLY WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY. THERE ARE SO MANY THAT WORKED ON
THIS, TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. OBVIOUSLY, JUST LOOK AROUND YOU,
IT IS NEEDED AND WANTED. BUT IT IS VERY EXCITING TO BE
HERE TODAY. I KNOW PET SMART CHARITIES HAS
ALWAYS BEEN VERY GENEROUS TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO THANK
THEM AS ONE OF THE SPONSORS, AS WELL AS DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP,
WHO REALLY BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER AND GOT STAFF
MOTIVATED, AND WE MADE IT HAPPEN IN A VERY SHORT TIME. I WANT TO THANK EVERY ONE OF
YOU FOUR-LEGGED ONES FOR BEING HERE, AND YOU’RE ON YOUR
BEST BEHAVIOR. I’M VERY PROUD OF YOU. [LAUGHTER] I DON’T THINK I BROUGHT ENOUGH
TREATS. [LAUGHTER] BUT IT’S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU’RE
GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY, IT HAS TO INCLUDE ALL OF
ITS MEMBERS. THAT’S NOT ONLY THE TWO-LEGGED
ONES, IT’S THE FOUR-LEGGED ONES. THAT’S WHAT MAKES THE QUALITY
OF LIFE SO GOOD IN PHOENIX. I JUST WANT TO THANK, AGAIN,
EVERYBODY WHO’S PARTICIPATED IN THIS, AND LOOK FORWARD TO A VERY
HAPPY COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU.>>THANK YOU, MAYOR WILLIAMS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. NEXT I’D LIKE TO WELCOME UP
TO THE PODIUM DISTRICT 7 COUNCILMAN, MICHAEL NOWAKOWSKI.>>THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANT TO REALLY THANK THE
MAYOR. THE MAYOR, EVER SINCE I’VE BEEN
ON THE COUNCIL, HAS BEEN A BIG ADVOCATE FOR FOUR-LEGGED
FRIENDS, AND BASICALLY CREATED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO
MAKE SURE THAT POLICE OFFICERS ARE TRAINED, AND THAT WE CREATE
A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY. THELDA, I JUST REALLY WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE, NOT JUST FOR DOGS AND CATS
AND ALL TYPES OF ANIMALS, AND SUPPORTING ALL KINDS OF BILLS,
MAKING SURE THAT OUR ANIMALS ARE SUPPORTED AND TAKEN CARE OF. SO THANK YOU. LET’S GIVE HER A ROUND
OF APPLAUSE. WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY
DOG LOVERS IN THE HOUSE? IT’S INCREDIBLE. I’VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL
GOING ON 11 YEARS, AND DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED. WE HAVE 16,000 UNITS OF HOUSING,
JUST RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT,
16,000 PEOPLE LIVE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. LET ME TELL YOU, THE PEOPLE
THAT LIVE IN DOWNTOWN WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE
SAME AMENITIES AS EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS CITY, SO THAT’S WHY
WE HAVE A DOG PARK. WE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. “WE NEED A DOG PARK IN
DOWNTOWN,” AND NOW WE HAVE ONE. I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR THOSE BIG ADVOCATES COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING US, AND
MAKING SURE IT HAPPENED. BUT THIS IS ALL POSSIBLE BECAUSE
OF GREAT TEAMWORK. I CALL IT THE TEAM PHOENIX
APPROACH, WHERE YOU BRING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TOGETHER. WHERE’S OUR DPI INDIVIDUALS? RAISE YOUR HANDS. I JUST REALLY WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL. THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT
HAVE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, AND REALLY NOT ONLY SUPPORT IT, BUT
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE PROJECTS IN DOWNTOWN. AND ALL THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE
ORANGE SHIRTS, OUR AMBASSADORS, TOO. THAT’S A PROGRAM FROM THAT
DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, INC. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO
FOR OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. AND OUR GREAT SPONSOR. IT’S REALLY PET SMART CHARITIES
THAT MAKE THIS ALL POSSIBLE. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR DONATION, AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS ALL HAPPEN. AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU,
THE RESIDENTS, FOR ADVOCATING, AND NOW THE DAY HAS COME. ALL RIGHT.>>THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. REPRESENTING DISTRICT 8,
FELICITA MENDOZA.>>GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
COMING OUT TODAY TO HELP US CELEBRATE THIS OPENING OF
THIS MUCH-NEEDED AMENITY IN OUR DOWNTOWN PHOENIX. I BEGAN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT
DURING MY TIME IN DISTRICT 7, AND I’M GLAD TO SEE IT COME TO
FRUITION THROUGH THE HARD WORK OF OUR STAFF, OUR COMMUNITY,
OUR NEIGHBORS, AND OUR PRIVATE PARTNERS. AS A COUNCILWOMAN FOR THE
NEIGHBORING COUNCIL DISTRICT DOWNTOWN, I’M HAPPY TO SEE
THIS AMENITY IN PLACE. I ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO
BRING OUT YOUR PUPPIES. AGAIN, THANK YOU, EVERYONE,
ESPECIALLY GINGER AND INGER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING
THIS HAPPEN, THANK YOU. AND OUR DOWNTOWN PARTNERS, TOO. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING, THANK YOU.>>THIS PARK IS LARGELY FOR THE
GROWING NEIGHBORHOOD THAT’S EMERGING IN OUR DOWNTOWN, AND
I’D LIKE TO INVITE COURTNEY NUSH WHO’S THE PRESIDENT OF THE
DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO COME TO THE
PODIUM TO SAY A FEW WORDS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PHOENIX DNA. SHE’S MAKING HER WAY UP
RIGHT NOW.>>HURRY UP.>>HER DOG PEPPER IS IN
ATTENDANCE, TOO, SO WE’RE GLAD ABOUT THAT.>>HI, EVERYONE, MY NAME IS
COURTNEY NUSH. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE
DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE. WE ARE THE NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING THE RESIDENTS BETWEEN THE SEVENS,
FROM BASICALLY THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT TO FILLMORE AT THE
NORTH, SO THE CORE OF DOWNTOWN. WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE A DOG
PARK IN OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY. IT’S SOMETHING WE’VE BEEN
ADVOCATING FOR FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. I’LL KEEP IT SHORT. WE’RE JUST EXCITED TO TRY IT. WE’RE THANKFUL TO CITY, TO DPI,
TO PET SMART FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN, AND EXCITED TO USE IT. THANKS.>>THANK YOU, COURTNEY. I’D LIKE TO HAVE DAN KLOCKE,
WHO’S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DOWNTOWN PHOENIX PARTNERSHIP,
COME TO THE PODIUM, SAY A FEW WORDS.>>THANK YOU. SO THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN PATIENT. I’LL BE VERY BRIEF. I KNOW THEY WANT TO GO INSIDE. REALLY, AGAIN, THANKING ALL THE
FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS, MAYOR WILLIAMS,
CITY COUNCIL, ALL THE STAFF IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT
OUT OF THE BOX. IT’S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I DON’T THINK MOST CITY COUNCIL
CHAMBERS HAVE A DOG PARK SITTING NEXT TO THEM. I APPRECIATE THE WILLINGNESS
TO TAKE THAT CHANCE. SO WE’RE EXCITED TO BE
PART OF THAT. REALLY, WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. R.J. TALKED ABOUT THIS A BIT. THIS IS AN AMENITY FOR
A NEIGHBORHOOD. WE FORGET SOMETIMES,
DOWNTOWN IS A NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD. IN FACT, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
NEIGHBORHOOD IN TERMS THE MOST PEOPLE LIVING IN A SMALL AREA
IN THE WHOLE CITY. IT’S REALLY EXCITING
TO HAVE THIS GREAT AMENITY HERE, AND HAVE OUR LITTLE
FRIENDS HERE BE ABLE TO RUN AROUND IN DOWNTOWN. JUST THANK YOU FOR TAKING
THAT CHANCE. I DO WANT TO DO A SPECIAL THANK
YOU TO THE CLEAN AND GREEN TEAM THAT PUT THIS THING TOGETHER
IN ABOUT THREE DAYS. GUYS, RAISE YOUR HANDS
OVER HERE. THEY DID AN AWESOME JOB. THEY DON’T LIKE TO BE
RECOGNIZED, BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS PHENOMENAL. THIS WAS JUST GRASS
A FEW DAYS AGO. SO THANK YOU, AND ENJOY.>>SO I ASK IF WE COULD PLEASE
NAME THE DOG PARK THE — WELCOME TO THE
THELDA WILLIAMS — [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]>>I KNEW YOU WOULDN’T WANT IT.>>REPORTER: DO YOU HAVE
A REACTION, MAYOR?>>I’M SO OVERWHELMED. I’M VERY, VERY HONORED,
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HE’S ALWAYS BEEN A BIG
SUPPORTER, WHETHER IT’S ABUSED ANIMALS (INAUDIBLE.)
BUT THANKS FOR EVERYONE FOR DOING THIS. IT MEANS A LOT. THREE, TWO, ONE. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] POSTCAP LLC
POSTCAPLLC.COM
844-335-0911